Bahraini protesters voice solidarity Sheikh Qassim
Hundreds of Bahrainis have held a fresh protest in support of senior Shia cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim and to condemn the Manama regime's heavy-handed crackdown on dissent.
Bahraini regime forces fired tear gas at the protesters who took to the streets of the northwestern village of Diraz, located about 12 kilometers west of the capital Manama, on Friday.
They were carrying photos of the cleric during the demonstration in Diraz, which is also Qassim’s hometown.
The demonstrators also slammed Manama’s decision to impose a ban on holding Friday prayers in the village, condemning the Al Khalifah regime for its persecution of the Shia community.
On June 20, Bahraini authorities stripped the 79-year-old cleric of his citizenship, less than a week after suspending the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, the country’s main opposition bloc, and dissolving the Islamic Enlightenment Institution founded by Qassim, and the opposition al-Risala Islamic Association.
Bahrain, a close ally of the United States in the Persian Gulf region, has seen a wave of anti-regime protests since mid-February 2011. Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others wounded or detained in Manama’s ongoing crackdown.
Troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed in March that year to assist Manama in crushing the protests.
Hamas denies reports about political bureau relocation to Turkey as false
Qatar: Reports about withdrawal from Gaza mediation, Hamas exit from Doha ‘inaccurate’
FM strongly condemns meddlesome EU-GCC statement against Iran
VIDEO | Paris march in support of Palestine women
VIDEO | ICC issues arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister, ousted regime war minister
120 Palestinians perish as Israeli war machine keeps ravaging Gaza
VIDEO | Struggles of Palestinian women amidst war, displacement
VIDEO | Hezbollah rains attack drones down on elite Israeli brigade
VIDEO | US biased mediation fails
Leader: All captains of criminal, Zionist, terrorist gang must be prosecuted
Iran further raises its oil prices for Chinese buyers: Report
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
